Fall is the best time to get the family out camping: cool nights, no bugs, and campfires that actually feel good. This is the gear I'd pack for a weekend tent-camping trip with the kids, from a roomy family tent and cold-weather sleeping bags to camp...
Sections
4
Shelter & Sleep
Camp Kitchen
Campfire & Hangout
Light, Layers & Safety
Shelter & Sleep
A warm, dry night's sleep makes or breaks a family camping trip.
Room for the whole family plus gear, and it goes up in about 10 minutes, even with kid helpers.
Coleman Skydome 6-Person Camping Tent
Rated to 20°F so nobody wakes up shivering on a cold October night.
Coleman Brazos 20°F Sleeping Bag
The ground steals your heat in fall. This keeps you off it and rolls up to the size of a water bottle.
Klymit Static V Sleeping Pad
Squishes down tiny in the pack but feels like a real pillow at bedtime.
Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow
Camp Kitchen
Simple gear for hot breakfasts, cold drinks, and easy cleanup.
A reliable camp stove turns a cold fall morning into hot coffee and a full breakfast. The Coleman Triton+ gives you two adjustable burners with up to 22,000 BTUs and InstaStart push-button ignition, so there's no matches or fuss, and it packs into a ...
Coleman Triton+ 2-Burner Propane Stove
Holds a full weekend of food, and the wheels save your back on the walk from the car.
Coleman 62-Quart Wheeled Cooler
Bacon and eggs over the fire or the stove. Cast iron handles anything you throw at it.
Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Seven gallons of drinking and dish water with a spigot, so you're not juggling a dozen bottles.
Reliance Aqua-Tainer 7 Gallon Water Container
Make hot cocoa once in the morning and it's still hot by the evening fire.
Thermos Stainless King 40 oz Bottle
Campfire & Hangout
The fun part: s'mores, pies, and lounging around the fire.
Built-in cooler pocket and cup holder, the perfect fireside seat.
Coleman Quad Camping Chair with Cooler
Bread, butter, and pie filling over the coals. Campfire pies are always the kids' favorite part.
Rome Industries Double Pie Iron
Long and telescoping, so little hands stay a safe distance from the flames.
MalloMe Marshmallow Roasting Sticks
Kids fight over it all afternoon, then the grown-ups nap in it.
ENO DoubleNest Hammock
Light, Layers & Safety
Fall nights get cold and dark fast, so pack for both.
Hands-free light for setting up camp after dark and late-night bathroom trips.
Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp
Hang it from the tent ceiling for a soft glow at bedtime.
Black Diamond Moji Lantern
Wool keeps feet warm even when they get damp. Warm feet, happy campers.
Darn Tough Hiker Wool Socks
The easy warm layer for frosty mornings and chilly nights around the fire.
Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece Jacket
Scraped knees and splinters happen. Better to have it and not need it.
